Paper towel and the like



1931- J. c. SHERMAN 1,819,041

PAPER TOWEL AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 20, 1926 J z a j g w 1 E T w 5 Z jazww/im:

Efafm. 6 jfiwmam Patented Aug. i8, 1931 STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN G. SHERMAN, F GORHAM, MAINE, ASSIGNOR NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE PAPER TOWEL AND THE LIKE Application filed September 20, 1926. Serial No. 138,434.

1 methods and constructions have been proposed to prevent such disintegration of the central portion but in general when these have been to any extent effective they have resulted in the production of a towel at least semi-permanent in character and not limited to a single use. Thus the sanitary value of such towels as insuring a fresh towel for each use is lost.

The object of the present invention is to produce a towel of this character in which the failure of the central portion will be somewhat delayed when the towel is being used, but not for such a time that the towel will stand more than one use. While by the practice of this invention the time between the initial wetting and the failure of the towel may be regulated with reasonable closeness and within a considerable range, the usual optimum period has been found to be about 30 seconds.

This object is accomplished by coating opposite areas of the faces of the towel, which may have the usual highly absorptive and quickly disintegrating properties of the usual terial, thus to retard or prevent the absorption of water directly through the faces of the towel over such areas while permitting capillary absorption in directions laterally of the thickness of the towel from the contiguous uncoated areas the towel material between the opposed areas being substantially free from coating material. Not only does the coating material itself effect a reinforcing and bonding action, particularly when applied in lines extending along the surfaces, but it acts to prevent the absorption of water by and disintegration of the sheeted pulp held between the coatings on opposite faces. By properly proportioning the relative amounts inence of the coating paper towel, with water resistant ma of coated and uncoated areas, the sizes of the coated areas, and the thickness and characteristic strength of the coating material, the length of time of disintegration of the towel after initial wetting may be predetermined within suf'lciently close limits.

The entire towel may be so treated or it may be treated over the central portion only as desired, since the central portion receives the hardest service, and. instead of applying the coating in geometrical designs, it may be so TO BROWN COMPANY, OF BIJEtIIIN,

applied as to develop trade marks or ornamental effects of various kinds, provided the general proportion of width of coated lines and coated and uncoated areas be maintained proper for the particular time of use desired. It may be made, if desired, either a shade quite near that of the remainder of the towel, or it may be of a contrasting color or shade according to the effects desired.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a towel formed according to this invention, the promfor the sakeof clarit Figure 2 is a fragmentary view to a much enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a detail section on line 33 of igure 2. Figure 4 shows a modified construction. Referring first to Figures 1, 2' and 3 the body of the towel may comprise a highly absorptive fibrous sheet material such as the usual paper towel made of kraft or other suitable cellulosic fiber, this body being indicated at 1. To opposite faces of this body is applied on definite areas and if desired along spaced lines, a water resistant coating material, this being shown in Figures 1 to 3 as applied along spaced parallel lines arranged in rectan lar formation as at 2. By reference to Figure 3 it will be seen that these lines are positioned substantially opposite to each other on opposite faces of the sheet material thus to define areas of sheet material therebetween which are not accessible to surface contact with water applied to the face of the towel. The fibrous being much exaggerated material between these lines 01'. areas must thus receive any water absorbed thereinto through capillary action from the uncoated areas 3 therebetween to which moisture may have access directly through the faces of the sheet. The fibrous material between the coated portions does not therefore receive its supply of moisture as soon as the uncoated portions and consequently the disintegration of the fiber due to such moisture is very materially delayed, the amount of such delay depending on the minimum dimension of the coated areas which determines the minimum length of capillary path. Moreover, the lines of coating produce a reinforcement for the towel which is more or less unaffected by the moisture, disintegration of the material along these lines being produced-largely by the rubbing action to which the towel is subjected. Such coating material may be of various natures, such for example, as glue tanned with formaldehyde, bichromate or the like, colloidal bitumen, such, for example, as the asphalt emulsion known to the trade as K. B. emulsion comprising a normally adhesive asphalt dispersed with colloidal clay, latex, colloidal bakelite, viscose, etc.

The thickness of the coating, the amount of coated area with relation to the uncoated area, and the size of the coated and uncoated areas and of the width of the lines of coating, and the character of the coating material all have an effect to determine the amount by which the disintegration of the fibrous material is retarded in use. Instead of treating the entire area of the towel in this manner, as shown in Figure 1, the central portion only may be so treated, this being shown in Figure 4, in which also, instead of applying the coating in rectangularly arranged lines, it is applied in the form of an ornamental design embodying a trade mark. It is preferable that the coating applied on oposite sides be of the same design and that the coated portions on one side reg ister with the coated portions on the other, though of course, the same efiect will be produced but to a less extent if the coating be so applied that at least certain opposed areas on opposite sides are coated, even though the entire pattern should not coincide in all respects. It is, however, important that certain opposed areas be covered since it is only by this means that the fibrous material in any portion is prevented from receiving its supply of moisture directly from the face of the sheet so that its reception of such moisture is restricted to capillary action whereby its disintegration is materially retarded. It will also be noted that the material betweenthe coated areas on opposite sides retains substantially the full absorptivity of the original sheet, the coating itself being relied upon to furnish substantially the entire reinforcing effect on the towel.

Having thus described certain embodiments of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A towel comprising a sheet of cellulosic material having lines of water resistant coating material on opposite faces, the thickness of the coating, the amount of coated area with relation to the uncoated area, the size of the coated and uncoated areas, the width of the lines of coating, and the character of the coatin material being determined to delay the disintegration of the cellulosic material by absorption of water in use, but to insure ultimate disintegration in a single use.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JOHN C. SHERMAN. 

